Luso-Galician Living Lab Takes Soil Science into the Field

Soil is far more than the ground beneath our feet and to understand it properly, you must look inside it. This idea guided a field-based technical training, that took place across several experimental sites of the Luso-Galician Living Lab. As a result, scientists, technicians, and agricultural managers worked directly with soils. They explored the hidden architecture they deal with every day.

The training was promoted by UTAD and was led by Professor Manuel Madeira from the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA). In addition, it involved three key partners: Sá Morais Castro, Quinta Vale do Conde, and the Kopke Group. Their vineyards and olive groves served as practical classrooms.

Opening the Ground

Morphological characterisation begins with a deceptively simple act: digging a vertical cut into the soil and looking carefully at what is revealed. As Leonor Pereira, leader of the Luso-Galician Living Lab, explains, this direct observation allows researchers and practitioners to identify and describe the different layers, or horizons, that make up the soil profile. Colour, texture, structure, consistency, porosity, root systems, and signs of biological activity are all examined systematically in each horizon.

“This process allows us to understand the natural organisation of the soil in depth,” says Pereira, “and to interpret the processes that shaped it.” Far from being an abstract scientific exercise, this baseline understanding is essential for evaluating soil health at the Living Lab’s experimental sites.

Complementary, Not Competing

A key message was clear: field observation and laboratory analysis are not alternatives. Instead, they complement each other. Laboratory work measures specific parameters. Such as, pH and nutrient availability. On the other hand, field observation shows physical organisation. It reveals where roots can grow, indicates how water moves and shows where biological activity occurs. Therefore, combining both methods is essential.

Integrating both approaches, as Pereira puts it, “strengthens the scientific basis needed for adopting and validating solutions tested in the Living Labs.” One without the other leaves important questions unanswered.

The Challenges of Reading Soil

Working in the field is not always easy, since soils vary even within small areas. Moreover, depth access can be limited by stones or moisture. Weather conditions also affect observations. In addition, some features require experience to interpret.

However, these challenges can be managed. For example, repeated observations improve accuracy. Standardised protocols are also essential, tools such as FAO guidelines and the Munsell colour system are used. Furthermore, photographic records and georeferencing support the work. As a result, data becomes more reliable.

From Observation to Action

The practical value of this kind of soil knowledge is concrete and immediate. Understanding the physical and functional limitations of a given soil makes it possible to tailor management practices to real conditions on the ground. For example, farmers can reduce unnecessary tillage, adopt cover crops and optimized irrigation and fertilisation. Soil compaction can be managed more effectively and erosion control measures can also be implemented. Therefore, practices become more efficient.

As Pereira notes, the impact is both direct and operational. Morphological characterisation helps reduce unnecessary interventions, improve the efficiency of water and nutrient use, and increase the resilience of agricultural systems to climate change. Morphological characterisation is, in her words, a tool for “promoting sustainable and innovative practices to restore long-term soil health.”

Partners as Essential Enablers

The three partner organisations, Sá Morais Castro, Quinta Vale do Conde, and the Kopke Group, played a role that went well beyond simply providing access to land. They ensured the logistical conditions necessary for field work, supplied equipment, and supported the operational running of the sessions across different experimental sites in the viticulture and olive oil sectors.

Their involvement also reflects a broader ambition: the co-creation of sustainable management practices grounded in real agricultural contexts. The characterisation of soil profiles at their sites provided information that feeds directly into the design and validation of innovative solutions tailored to each experimental location.

Building a Common Language Across Living Labs

One of the less visible but equally important outcomes of the training was methodological. By standardising field observation protocols across different experimental sites, the Luso-Galician Living Lab is contributing to a shared knowledge base that can be compared and contrasted with data from other Living Labs across Europe.

This capacity for cross-context comparison is at the heart of what the LivingSoiLL project is trying to build: a science-to-practice bridge that works across the diverse agroecological realities of the European continent.